Birthday Cake

Or Valentine's Day Cake?  Look at those adorable edible glitter hearts, which you can purchase HERE...

But technically, this is a birthday cake, because that's what the recipe (HERE) was called.  Katy and I had great friends visit this weekend from Minnesota.  We cooed over babies, reminisced about high school, ate excellent food and enjoyed the ridiculously gorgeous weather.  And there was cake.  Isn't there always cake?  My friend Meghan and I both have early February birthdays, so I made her a cake, and I guess I sort of made it for myself also.  Do you think it's embarrassing to make yourself a cake?  I don't.  I say do it everyday of your life.  OR ELSE.  

(Random unnecessary threat there) 

Delicious cake, by the way.  I was a huge fan of the rich chocolate frosting.  

Best served with ice cream or berries, I think.  

Brown Butter

You guys seemed very much into the idea of brown butter in sweet treats, and you should be, so never change!  I thought if you hadn't seen these yet, I should share them with you.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats 

Um, yes.  

Lentil and Sausage Stew

I don't want to hear it.  Nope, shhh, don't speak.  I swear to god, if you start with "Oh look at Siri making something healthy FINALLY, how cute, she's embracing Paula Deen's new lifestyle..." I will go ballistic on you.  Because come on, I'm like super mega health-conscious like, the majority of the time with the exception of the REAL majority of the time when I'm not.  Ok.

Rubbish aside, this was delicious.  Very hearty and comforting.  Good for your soul and your waistline.  You're welcome.  

Lentil and Sausage Stew

(Serves 6-8)

Printable Recipe

2 T olive oil

1 pkg turkey sausage

3 carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. lentils

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

6 cups chopped kale 

Heat 1 T of the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or dutch oven.  Saute sausage for approx. 6 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through.  Remove from pan, let cool and then slice.  Set aside.

Pour out excess oil from pan, but do not clean - the drippings from the sausage add flavor!  Return to stove, and heat remaining T of oil over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots and garlic.  Saute until soft, about 10 minutes.  

Add sausage, lentils, seasonings and stock.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Then add chopped kale.

Stir in kale, bring to another boil, cover, reduce heat again, and let simmer for another 10 minutes.  

Serve with Parmesan cheese or hot sauce.  You might need to add more salt as well : )

Brown Butter and Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm going to post something healthy tomorrow.  Something with leafy greens and protein and vitamins and minerals.  A dish you cook in a pot on a stove and eat in a bowl with a spoon.  No oven involved.  No chocolate involved.  No butter involved.  I promise.

But it's Monday, and what good are Mondays if you can't hang on to a tiny bit of the weekend?  Ah the weekend, when anything goes like eating cookies and meatball subs and pizza all in one day (is football over yet?). 

I stumbled across THIS RECIPE yesterday as I was trying to find an original chocolate chip cookie to make for a football party.  Original it was.  Not only did it require browning 2 sticks of butter...    

...which gave the cookies a subtle nutty, almost caramel-like flavor, but it also required sea salt in the dough and atop the cookies.  My new favorite ingredient.  If you haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for???  The weekend???  Don't be a dumbo head.  

Chocolate Mousse

Aaaaaaaaaaaand the I-only-want-to-make-sweet-rich-calorie-stocked-dessert streak continues.

Well, I DID cook dinner last night if you must know.

But, I think I only ate it so we could get to this part??  I don't know why I put a question mark at the end of that, there was no question there. 

I had never made chocolate mousse before, and while there were many steps involved, it was surprisingly easy.  I thought I would have no problem finishing off an entire glass of it, but this particular recipe at least is RICH.  WOAH.  I hate that "woah" is spelled like that.  

Perfect thing to make ahead of time if you're having a dinner party.  For yourself.     

Recipe found HERE.

Transformer cake?

Remember when I did this?

And then this?

Well, my son has fallen into a new non-Nick Jr. phase, one that involves intricate toys and loud robot sound effects and Halloween costumes like this... the Transformers phase. 

So, for his upcoming 3rd birthday in March, I'm thinking I can pull off this:

Right?!?!?!?!?  I can, right?!?!?!?  Help.    

Wasabi and Panko Crusted Chicken

Is anyone else in "the holidays are over and it's a new year" denial?  Are you, like me, struggling to get back into your daily routine?  Lie to me please.  Say, "Yes, Siri!  Why absolutely Siri!  I'm sure you are doing a much better job than I am Siri!"  I'm glad we had this talk.

I just want to bake, all day long.  If that is your job, I envy you.

And I want my butler, Wilfred, to cook dinner.  Do butlers cook dinner?  

Wilfred would.  

Anyway, I did make this chicken the other night, and it was mighty tasty.  It called for pork, but I only had chicken.  So there.  

Recipe found HERE.

Puppy Chow

Yesterday, my childhood came rushing back to me in the form of a small, crunchy, sweet snack: Puppy Chow.  Do you know Puppy Chow?  Did your mom let you shake the bag so that the chocolate and peanut butter coated cereal could have a powdered sugar bath?  Did you eat way too much of it in college when parents would send it to their children by the freaking bucket?  A co-worker of Carson's sent this home with him, and I attacked it.  After I took this picture my head went in that bag.  Dangerous, I know.    

Click HERE for recipe.

Corn Flake, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars

Let me ask you something.  Do you have peanut butter, corn flakes, chocolate chips, sugar and corn syrup in your pantry?  Do you have 10 minutes of free time today?  Then you should make these.

My favorite kind of recipe is one you can make absent-mindedly, like in between taking down your Christmas tree (finally) and going pee.  Yesterday, as I was (sort of) (considering to begin) taking down my Christmas tree I thought, I have to pee, and as I walked to the bathroom I accidentally made these bars on the way.  Of course then I went back to disassembling (staring at) the Christmas tree.

Recipe found here.    

Blue Cheese Dressing

When I was a kid, I loved blue cheese dressing.  And then I grew up and realized that if I wanted to look like Cindy Crawford... I couldn't eat it.  And then I grew up some more and realized that Cindy Crawford is like old now, and I still look nothing like her.  So screw it, I'm back to eating blue cheese dressing.

But wait!  This dressing is healthy!  Gwyneth Paltrow says so!  I used her recipe and adapted it slightly by using yogurt instead of sour cream (surprised you didn't think of that Gwyn, hmph) and blue cheese crumbles instead of gorgonzola.  It IS blue cheese dressing after all.  And it's wonderful.  

Blue Cheese Dressing

Slightly adapted from My Father's Daughter

(Makes 1 1/2 cups)

Printable Recipe

1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/3 cup low fat mayo

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/3 cup cold water

1 T plus 1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 shallot, thinly sliced

Big pinch coarse salt

Black pepper

Stir everything together in a small bowl.  

Birthday Dinner

You guys probably know two things about me: I often ask you to make decisions and I like to prepare my own birthday meal.  Alright, you might know more about me than just that.  You know how much I love butter, and chocolate, and bacon, and running marathons.  Oh you didn't know that last part?  I try not to brag but I've ran 17 of them.  18.  No, 19.  I'm actually running one right now as I'm typing this because I am WAY MORE talented than that stupid iPhone woman.

Anyway.  What should I make for my birthday dinner?  It's still a month away.  Oh, and if you want to buy me a present, I would like this white truffle oil please.

Or a new running costume.  Ok back to the dinner.  Please vote...  

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon 

Chicken Pot Pie

Lobster Mac & Cheese

(photo, photo, photo, photo)

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Look at how perfectly square that bar is.  

I bet you're thinking I'm some sort of Rainman, with a skill for cutting shapes and counting toothpicks.  

You're right, I am.

I also own this pan... 

A Christmas present from my son, one that can be purchased at Target if you're interested.  (Um, can I also be gifted this please??)  And, if you're a fan of the end pieces of Brownies, or if you're really into perfect shapes, than you should absolutely own this pan too.  

I decided to make Blondies with it - because who doesn't like a cookie that's sort of a brownie.  

Carson and I think they should be called Brookies - but I guess blonds have more fun.

I used this recipe and added the chocolate chips.  SUPERB.